Scaling Down #4 - The Sunday Run

Each year hordes of people make a New Year's resolution to lose weight. In January, gyms are overcrowded with well-meaning people on treadmills desperate to lose a few pounds. By February, most have given up. In 2010, I was able to lose 45 pounds without the help of a trainer, special program, crazy diet, or supplements. We here at the What want to help you stay fit and healthy in a simple and natural way.

The Sunday Run

There are few things more rewarding in life than a lazy Sunday. A day to sit back, relax, put your feet up and your work down. Sunday is a day for hammocks, cookouts, football, and fun. But for one hour each Sunday morning, you should set aside some time for a Sunday run.

If you have been keeping up with our fitness features here at the What, you have probably settled into a nice routine of weight lifting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and putting yourself through torture with the T-Day Workout on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. If you are going through that routine, a tip of the hat to you. But there are those who want more, and for them, there is the Sunday run.

Mixtape Madness #15 - The Workout Mix

According to the novel High Fidelity the making of a good mix tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. Furthermore, a good mix is never finished. You never know when you will come across a song that changes the dynamic of the mix you just completed. There is a litany of intricacies to crafting the ideal mix no matter what the mix’s intended purpose should be. This feature is merely a guide on the cosmic highway of mix making, and while experienced, the writer does not claim to be an expert.

The Workout Mix

Over the past couple of years I have found that I can run faster, maintain an intense workout, and push myself further just by playing the right music. It has reached a point that if I don't have my regular workout tunes playing, I either don't bother or make a half-assed attempt at exercising. So while my playlist includes a unique mashing of genres, you may want to tailor yours to your specific taste to keep you motivated. For this mix, the songs are not in order, but instead grouped into the different workouts I use them for.


STRETCHING: Stretching is a key part of any fitness routine. In the order listed below, they work well as a build up, and if you flip them at the end of your workout, they work pretty well as a cool down too.

• "Sweet Disposition" by the Temper Trap
• "Velvet" by the Big Pink

Scaling Down #3 - Free Weight Workout

Each year hordes of people make a New Year's resolution to lose weight. In January, gyms are overcrowded with well-meaning people on treadmills desperate to lose a few pounds. By February, most have given up. In 2010, I was able to lose 45 pounds without the help of a trainer, special program, crazy diet, or supplements. We here at the What want to help you stay fit and healthy in a simple and natural way.

Free Weight Workout

While joining a gym can be beneficial, often times the fresh out of college crowd is fresh out of extra cash. Therefore, an at-home workout can be the best option for someone our age looking to slim down or stay in shape. In the first Scaling Down feature, I wrote about losing a significant amount of weight on my own, and much of that was thanks to the workout program I developed for myself.

The Checklist - November 2011

The internet is full of magical, mystical things. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes hard to sift through all of the crap to get some decent information. In the interest of providing you with colorful ideas for everyday life, we here at the What present the Checklist so that you may find some helpful information from other sites.

Sex Position of the Month
Women's Health Magazine
Ah, where would we be without a magazine telling us how to have sex? Nevertheless, sex is important for a healthy life and a healthy relationship, so why not spice it up a bit with the Ballet Dancer? After a glance at the illustration, another appropriate name for this one may be the tripod. No matter what they call it, Women's Health chooses a different position each month, so check it out!

Seasonal Styles
Primer Magazine
Every so often, Primer Magazine publishes a feature called the Get Up. Usually focused on a season or a situation, this is the perfect guide for guys who are trying to dress a bit better. I mentioned how I changed my style at the outset of 2011, and articles like the Get Up were a handy way of doing so. The most recent post highlights what to wear on an early winter Wednesday. 

Scaling Down #2 - How I Fell Off the Wagon

Each year hordes of people make a New Year's resolution to lose weight. In January, gyms are overcrowded with well-meaning people on treadmills desperate to lose a few pounds. By February, most have given up. In 2010, I was able to lose 45 pounds without the help of a trainer, special program, crazy diet, or supplements. This year I intend to continue that weight loss trend while documenting my efforts with a new Scaling Down feature every two months in hopes that my methods may work for you as well.

How I Fell Off the Wagon

Well, shit. That is essentially the exact thought that ran through my head as I stepped on the scale on the morning of May 1st. The digital demon told me I was 206.2 pounds with a 24.7% body fat. Gross. In two months, I gained back nearly all the weight I had lost between January and March. There are many contributing factors.

Scaling Down #1 - How It All Began

Each year hordes of people make a New Year's resolution to lose weight. In January, gyms are overcrowded with well-meaning people on treadmills desperate to lose a few pounds. By February, most have given up. In 2010, I was able to lose 45 pounds without the help of a trainer, special program, crazy diet, or supplements. This year I intend to continue that weight loss trend while documenting my efforts with a new Scaling Down feature every two months in hopes that my methods may work for you as well.

How It All Began

In mid-February of 2010 I was using up the last of my Christmas gift cards and shopping for new clothes. Walking around the mall, I was uncomfortable. My favorite pair of jeans were so tight that it hurt to walk in them. When I returned home that evening, I stepped on the scale for the first time since November to find that I had ballooned up to 240 pounds. At 6'1", 240 pounds is far too heavy. I knew I had to change some things and work on losing weight. I set my goal at 175 pounds, which is about what I weighed throughout high school.

The Off-Day Workout

This workout requires no equipment.

In my efforts to drop 50 pounds last year, I developed an at-home workout plan called the T-Day Workout. The T stood for "torture," referring to the fact that I would work out until I was unable to walk straight. It also referred to the days of the week during which I would workout: Tuesday, Thursday, and SaTurday. While a three-day workout plan is encouraged in the health and fitness community, I found myself occasionally itching to do more. So I came up with a quick, simple at-home workout that I could do on my "off" days.